Trouser hanger and stretcher



April 1, 1947.

M. A. OXLEY TRdUsER-HANGER AND STRETCHER /&

INV ENT OR. M745 5 Ox/qy VIIIIIIIIIIIIIA Filed April 10, 1.944

rill/4 VIII/I4 III v r- I A TTOENE Patented Apr. 1, 1947 UNITED- STATESPATENT OFFICE 2,418,314 TROUS'ER HANGER AND STRETCHER Milas A. Oxley,Kansas City, Mo:

Application April 10, 1944, Serial No. 530,327

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to garment hangers of the character adapted tosupportin creased condition, the legs-of trousers, and the primary aimis to provide an effective, rugged, and easily manipulable hanger thatis inexpensive to manufacture and convenient to use.

One of the important aims of this invention is to provide a trouserhanger having uniquely arranged apparatus for moving the crease formingslats to and from a position where the legs of the trouser are taut andcapable of being hung without slipping from the hanger.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a garment hangerof the aforementioned character wherein the crease forming slats thereofare movable toward and from each other by a series of links arranged inpairs and disposed at related angles with respect to a tie bar, to theend that force in opposite direction on certain of the pairs of linkswill move the said slats to an operative condition.

.This invention has for a still further aim, to provide in a trouserhanger of the aforementioned type, an unique and quickly manipulablelatching means for the relatively movable parts, which means is disposedin a convenient position close to one end of the hanger, to the end thatthe operator may engage the movable part thereof with speed anddispatch.

Other objects of the invention include the manner of interengaging theseveral links of the hanger with the crease forming slats; the way inwhich the slats of the hanger and the tie bar thereof are maintained inthe same plane; and the arrangement of a hanger hook upon the tie bar.

Other objects of the invention will appear during the course of thefollowing specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a trouser hanger and stretcher madein accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective stretch-out view illustrating the manner inwhich the hanger supporting hook is secured to one end of the tie bar.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line IIIIII ofFig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 4 is a similar detailed sectional view taken on line IVIV of Fig.1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a portion of atrouser hanger having clamping elements made to embody a modified formof the invention.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts through the severalviews, and the numerals I0 and 12 indicate crease forming slatsrespectively, that are movable toward and from each other as the hangeris shifted from and to operative position within the tubular leg i l ofa pair} of trousers. i

Slat I-2 has its outer edge contoured as at Hi to conform to thecurvature of a pair of trousers along the portion thereof where the seatmerges with the legs. The angle of divergence of the front and backcreases of trouser leg l4 varies in some instances with the type ofgarment, and therefore, the pairs of links l8 are near one end of a tiebar 20, while a pair of links 22 are disposed adjacent to the outer endsof slats I0 and I2.

Links I8 are pivotally secured together and to tie bar 20 by a rivet oranalogous means 24. The outer ends of the links have rebent tongues 26formed thereon to pass through perforations 28 in slats Ill and I2, asthe case may be. Such construction eliminates the necessity of anadditional element at this point.

The outer ends of links 22 are likewise respectively attached to slatsI0 and 12 through the medium of rebent tongues 30.

Tie bar 20 is longitudinally slotted as at 32 along a length thereofadjacent to its outer end and the inner ends of links 22 are secured totie bar 20 through the medium of clamping elements, generally designatedby the numeral 34, and clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

In the preferred form of the invention, clamping elements 34 comprise abolt 36 and a flat thumb nut 38, which may be manually manipulated toclamp links 22 against the opposite faces of tie bar 20.

The outer end of tie bar 20 carries a hook 40 pivotally journalled inbarrel 42 of clip 44. This clip has a tongue 46 that projects throughhole 48 in tie bar 20 and a pair of ears 50 are bent against one face ofbar 20 after tongue 46 has passed through hole 48. Thus, an effectivehook, strong enough to support the weight of the trousers, is provided.

A clamping element of different specific character, is illustrated inFig. 6. Tie bar 20 having slot 32 is thesame as heretofore described,and links 22 are in the same relative position as links 22, illustratedin Fig. 1. In lieu of a threaded bolt 36, however, a rivet I00 having ahead on each end thereof, pivotally carries a turn-button an el;-

I02, the under surface whereof, rides along inclined arcuate bosses N14to quickly draw links 22 against the opposite faces of bar 20--thus, aquick latching or clamping action may occur.

The placement of links [8 and 22 are as illustrated in Fig. 1, i. e. thepairs of links I8 have the elements thereof diverging outwardly andtoward one end of the slats l0 and l2, while the links 22 diverge towardthe opposite ends of slats I0 and I2 and outwardly. Slot-32 permitsslats l0 and I2 to adjust themselves to the angularity of the crease ofthe trousers 14.

When the parts are in the col1a.psed position as shown in dotted linesof Fig. 1, slats l0 and I2 lie in the same plane as tie bar 20, and whenthe hanger is inserted to position, tie bar 20 is drawn in the directionof the'upper arrow shown in Fig. 1, while inward pressure in thedirection of the lower arrow, of that figure, is exerted upon the pairof links 22. Thus, pairs of links 18 force slats I0 and I2 outwardly atthe same time as links 22 perform a similar function. Securing theclamping elements will prevent movement of the parts because of theangled disposition of the several pairs of links.

The material from which this article is constructed may be either lightwood or metal, and

while one form of the invention has been illustrated and described, itis obvious that modifi- 4 cations may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention or scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a trouser hanger of the kind having a pair of crease forming slats,pairs of links having their outer endspivotally joinedto the slats andtheir inner ends interconnected, and a slotted tie bar connecting thepairs of links; supporting means for said hanger comprising a clip onone end of the tie bar said clip having ears embracing said tie bar} ahook pivotally mounted on the clip; and means interconnecting the clipand the tie bar.

MILAS A. OXLEY.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

